12 minutes.

That’s how long it took for RocPK’s long time community member and friend to many Joel Bailey’s house to become almost completely overtaken by flames. If that’s not scary enough, it happened while he was in the shower, just after his fiance, Rach (also a community member), had left for work.

It brings me no joy to write out that Joel’s training paid off exactly a week ago, as he attempted to leave his burning house, only to find that the front door was completely engulfed by flames and thick smoke. With no other choice, he exited out a second story window and jumped off the roof, with no injuries from the drop. Their beloved dog, Bax, died from injuries.

Words cannot express how devastating this would be for myself or Nicole had it happened to us. Let alone the damage to their property and assets, they are neck deep into wedding planning, with their save the date coming in just a few months. The burden being placed on them to have to navigate the clean up of their property, the reclamation of as many assets as they can, dealing with home owner’s insurance investigations and meetings, ON TOP of planning and preparing for their wedding is extreme.

Joel’s sister has started a GoFundMe page for them to help lessen the blow that this nightmare has caused for them. If you have the means to contribute as well, any amount, no matter how small, I know will go a long way toward helping them to focus on finding some peace through all this.

Joel & Rach’s GoFundMe Link